AUDITION TIME!!!

Audition’s Are Here!

Audition Time!

This morning on 90.7 WKGC’s ‘The Morning Mix’, host’s Caleb Jordan and Tom Hoots talked to the Department Chair for Visual and Performing Arts, Jason Hedden. They discussed everything going on in the Visual and Performing Arts. Including upcoming auditions, current students, and life in VPA.

After a minute of witty banter discussing the best ways to introduce a segment, and whether they should make fun of the current opening, the trio moved their conversation to what is happening now in VPA.

Jason turned it into the advice he has given his own students,”An intro to an audition or top of the beginning moments, and ending moments are very important…” While adding that they should give some emphasis to the strong starts in the segment.

Spring Productions.

Jason continued later in the segment to talk about the upcoming spring productions. One of them being the Pulitzer Prize winning play, The Miracle Worker by William Gibson. And the second is BURT(or When I Was Five I Killed Myself) by Teddi Yaeger.

The Miracle Worker is the story of a young Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan. The play will be directed by Hank Rion.

BURT(or When I Was Five I Killed Myself) is based on the perspectives of a young boy around 8 years of age who is institutionalized. The character is Burt Rembrandt who is being detained for what he did to his classmate Jessica. This is his story–an acclaimed narrative about the chasm that exists between childhood and adulthood.

Who Can Audition?

How can you be ready? Well, Jason says to prepare a one-minute dramatic Monologue. This will be used as a screening for callbacks. They will be casting both shows before the Holiday Break because rehearsals will start up right away on January 6th for BURT(or When I Was Five I Killed Myself), and rehearsal for The Miracle Worker will start near the end of January 2020.

Jason said that there will be roles available for children, and they plan to cast a young teenager for the role of Helen Keller in Miracle Worker. Auditions are open for Gulf Coast Students and community members. Auditions will be  December 2nd in the Amelia Center Theatr at 6:30 PM.

Other roles for BURT (or when I was five I killed myself), which will be directed by Jason Hedden, will be available as well. There are children’s characters but they plan to be played by adults. It is encouraged that people should come out and be involved in theater. Tom pointed out that being a part of theater also includes auditioning for these plays as well. Jason jokingly replied, “Nine out of ten doctors say that the best way to get cast is to attend an audition.”

More Information…

The roles for BURT (or when I was five I killed myself) include:

• Burt Rembrandt
• Jessica
• Ensemble Actor 1: Dr. Nevele, Burt’s Dad, etc
• Ensemble Actor 2: Jeffrey, Carl, etc
• Ensemble Actor 3: Rudyard, Shrubs, etc
• Ensemble Actor 4: Burt’s Mom, Mrs. Cochrane, etc
• Ensemble Actor 5: Jessica’s Mom, Mariyln Kane, etc

The roles for The Miracle Worker include:

• Annie Sullivan-Helen’s teacher.
• Helen Keller-Main Protagonist.
• Kate Keller-Helen’s mother.
• Aunt Ev- Helen’s aunt.
• Anagnos/Doctor-Annie’s counselor at the Perkins Institution for the Blind.
• Viney-The Keller housekeeper.
• Martha-(8 –12) Viney’s daughter and playmate of Helen.
• Percy-(8 -12) Viney’s son.
• Jimmy-(8-12) Annie’s dead brother.
• Blind Girls-(6-16) Annie’s students at the Perkins Institute.

For more information of how to get involved contact Jason Hedden 850-872-3887 or email jhedden@gulfcoast.edu.

To listen to this podcast in person, go to: https://www.wkgc.org/2019/11/21/jason-hedden-spring-auditions-at-gulf-coast-state-college/.

Citation: https://www.gulfcoast.edu/current-students/academic-divisions/visual-performing-arts/miracleworkerandburtauditions.pdf

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